A report from Italian newspaper Il Messaggero (via Sport Witness) has expressed confidence that Newcastle United will seal a near-€40million (£33.8million) deal for Boubacar Kamara.

The lowdown

21 year-old Kamara plays for Ligue 1 outfit Marseille and can operate as a centre-back, left-back and a defensive midfielder.

He made 35 league appearances last season, averaging 2.5 tackles, 1.9 successful aerial duels and three accurate long balls per 90 minutes (via WhoScored).

One of his former team-mates, Rolando, has labelled him a 'phenomenon' who will become a long-term fixture of the France national side.

On Monday, Shields Gazette journalist Liam Kennedy predicted that Newcastle would look to sign another central defender before the end of the window.

The latest

The report states that Marseille will be able to use the proceeds of Kamara's big-money sale to Newcastle to fund a move for Lazio's Gonzalo Escalante.

The youngster has entered the final year of his contract at the Stade Velodrome and played the full 90 minutes last weekend as his side came from two goals down to beat Montpellier 3-2.

The verdict

There's no doubt this would be a magnificent signing for Newcastle, but it would also come as a pretty huge surprise.

As football finance expert Kieran Maguire explains, Mike Ashley is looking to 'sell his house' and appears to have little interest in 'doing up the kitchen first'.

Newcastle could be about to invest more than £20million in the signing of Joe Willock. Surely Ashley won't sanction a £33.8million swoop for Kamara as well?

In other news, Mark Douglas issued this prediction after the Willock fee was agreed.